Medway Amateur Swimming Association

MEDWAY AMATEUR SWIMMING ASSOCIATION

PRESS REPORT GALA 1 SATURDAY 13thFEB 2007

List of participating clubs: -

Medway ASA Championships got of to a flying start on Saturday with 149 entrants from 7 clubs in the Medway area, competing in 18 events in the first gala of this year’s championship.

City of Rochester’s Ellie Bristow and Maidstone’s Alex Lynn along with her teammates from the Maidstone girls 200m relay team prevented Black Lion from sweeping the board. Black Lion’s Gillingham based team won 15 out of the 18 events and set no less than 4 new Medway event best performance times.

The Lions started their runaway victory with girls Captain Sara Parfett setting a new Medway girls record with a spectacular win in the 200m IM in 2:28.86 , taking both the girls and ladies cups for this event. Sara came in over 8 seconds in front of fellow team mates Simmone Bristow 2nd and Sophie Tills 3rd.

In the Men’s 200IM Black Lion’s Jonathan Lane set a new boys record and also won both the Boys and Men’s cup’s in a fast and thrilling race winning in 2:18.84. Team mate Thomas Foley was 2ndin 2:19.55 and Alex Fuller of Gravesend and Northfleet 3rdin 2:20.66.

Black Lions Kieron Ager swam a magnificent race in the 15-year boys 100m breaststroke in a new Medway event best performance time of 1:11.97 with team mates Johnathan Lane 1:17.94 and Aaron Plant 1:23.19 finishing second and third.

New kid on the block Leo Kelly-Gee of Black Lion SC swam the race of the evening. This new lad from Black Lion has been relatively unknown, only taking up club swimming 2 years ago, won the 12 year boys 100m Butterfly in a truly remarkable time of 1:10.77, knocking a staggering 11seconds off the Medway Event best performance time and earning himself a standing ovation from poolside and spectators. Leo finished 25 seconds in front of Team mate Harry Graham and CoR Lee Memmott.

The Girls 12 year 100m Butterfly was won by Alex Lynn of Maidstone in 1:24.94, Girls 10 years 50 Backstroke was won by Millie Collett of BL in 41.76 and the Boys 10 years 50m Backstroke was won by Simon Parry BL in 43.66.

Girls 13 years 100m IM won by Zara Edmondson of BL in 1:19.10 and Boys 13 years IM won by Matthew Parry BL in 1:17.89.

Maidstone’s women’s open 200m freestyle team won in a time of 2.06.87 beating Black Lion into second place with Larkfield finishing 3rd.

The men’s open 200m freestyle event saw Black Lion teams in 1st and 2nd place and Maidstone finishing 3rd.

Girls 11 years 100 Breaststroke won by Vicky Morris BL in 1:37.97 and Boys 11 years 100 Breaststroke won by Stephen BellBL in 1:42.01.

Girls 14 years 100m freestyle won by Sophie Tills BL in 1:05.88 and Boys 100m freestyle won by James Black in 1:02.13.

Girls 15 year 100m Breaststroke won by Ellie Bristow of City of Rochester in1:30.31.

With four events best performances broken in one night, this is an indication of the high standard of swimming in Medway. Well done to all swimmers.

Alan Parfett Press Officer MASA